Wednesday’s Woman — Ann Meyers Drysdale

Ann Meyers Drysdale is often considered the greatest female basketball player of all time. She was the first high school player selected to the U.S. national basketball team. She was only the second woman to receive a college scholarship, at UCLA.

Most notably she was the first, and ONLY, woman to sign a contract with a National Basketball Association team when she joined the Indiana Pacers in 1980. Though she was not chosen for the final squad, her time with the Pacers continues to set her apart. Drysdale went on to become a color commentator for the team, a position very few women filled. She also played in the Women’s Professional Basketball League from 1978-1980.

Since completing her professional career, Ann Meyers Drysdale has gone on to become a renowned sports analyst and sports executive. She served as an analyst for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Currently she serves as the president and general manager of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury as well as vice president of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.